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Originally created 60 years ago in 1955 as a charter member of the Northwest League, the Emeralds won the inaugural pennant as an independent,[2][3][4] and remained in the NWL for fourteen seasons, through 1968. They played in northwest Eugene in 4,000-seat Bethel Park at Roosevelt Boulevard and Maple Street (44°03′52″N123°08′37″W﻿ / ﻿44.0645°N 123.1435°W﻿ / 44.0645; -123.1435), later torn down for the construction of a highway that wasn't built.[4][5][6] Its final game on August 29 drew 897 fans for a one-hitter and a 7-0 Emeralds win.[7] The NWL changed to a short season league in 1966.

In the 1969 season, the Emeralds were promoted to AAA status in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) as the primary affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. The Ems returned to the Northwest League five years later, when the Phillies moved their AAA farm team to the Toledo Mud Hens for the 1974 season. Eugene was independent that season, then became an affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.

As a Triple A team in 1969, the Emeralds moved from Bethel Park to Civic Stadium. The 6,800-seat facility is owned by the Eugene School District and was built in 1938 as a venue for high school football, which was played there until 1968. Civic Stadium also hosted semi-pro baseball teams, sponsored by local timber companies, until Bethel Park was built in 1950.